In the grim darkness of the 34th Millennium, a planet is ensnared in a horrific shadow war, its inhabitants unknowingly serving as pawns for their traitorous masters. The vile plague of Nurgle has spread like wildfire, infecting over a hundred billion souls on Nuon 6M. This is where we find ourselves in part of a multi-part series diving deep into the lore of Warhammer 40,000.
The stage is set on the jungle moon of Trion 2 where the Blood Tigers Space Marine Chapter holds their fortress spire. Suddenly, a warband fleet belonging to the Tormented erupts from the warp, and a savage assault is underway. The defilers, mighty daemon engines of chaos, lead the charge, among them Mechala the Insane, a defiler of such ferocity that Imperial Scholars have deemed it one of the most formidable ever created.
With a fiery rage, Mechala cuts a path through the dense jungle, paving the way for the Tormented to bring their war to the foot of the fortress monastery. The Blood Tigers, forced to focus their defenses on the approaching horror, are unable to prevent the Tormented from infiltrating the fortress spire.
The battle rages on, gunfire echoing through the skies as the humid jungle below is drenched in blood and flame. Amidst the chaos, only Mechala manages to breach the fortress’s armored walls, wreaking havoc within and causing substantial damage before finally being brought down by the Blood Tigers’ Dreadnorts. The fall of Mechala signals a retreat for the Tormented, leaving the Blood Tigers to count their dead.
From the ashes of this battle, a new legend is born: Ghost Crusher. This defiler comes into prominence during the horrific deeds enacted on Craftworld Ilam Manesh in 326 M33. A warband of the Night Lords descends from the warp, their goal simple yet chilling: to eradicate the world’s Spirit Stones, an act of revenge for past Eldar sins. Ghost Crusher leads the assault, its wrath leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. By the end of the assault, Craftworld Ilam Manesh is left a tomb, void of life and artifacts.
In the twisted universe of Warhammer 40,000, even defilers can be perverted further. The Emperor’s Children Traitor Legion, servants of the Dark Prince of Pleasure, Slaanesh, create the Debaser, a defiler armed with sonic weaponry and razor-sharp battle claws. Meanwhile, the Death Guard Traitor Legion dedicate their defilers to the Plague Lord Nurgle, arming them with vomit cannons, Reaper autocannons, and battle claws; they are known as Desecrators. The followers of the God of Change equip their defilers, the Deceivers, with Tinch cannons, ether cannons, heavy flamers, and more.
The Berserker Champion of Chaos, Arrear of the World Eaters Traitor Legion, was the first to harness these monstrosities. Arrear, in a display of reckless bravery, subdues a defiler known as Slaughterfiend and rides it like a monstrous steed. This act inspires other Berserkers to attempt the same feat, transforming the defilers into maddened Slaughterfiends, infused with the fury of Khorne himself.
As the Slaughterfiends charge forward, Berserkers atop their hulls cry out praises to the Blood God. In the thick of battle, they fall into a frenzy of violence, a testament to the horrifying power and rage of the defilers.
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